Description:
This is a fine example of a small species of bat from the oil shale
Messel Pit deposits of Darmstadt, Germany, known as Palaeochiropteryx
tupaiodon. These ~50 million year old deposits are famous for their
exceptionally well-preserved organisms, some of which have the remains
of their last meal preserved within. Soft tissue preservation is a
common event in material from the pit, and that is seen here in preservation
of some wing tissue. This genus possessed relatively broad, short
wings, indicative of adaptation for slow, highly maneuverable flight
near the forest floor. While some features such as the skull and skeleton
are primitive, the shape of the wings resembles that of the modern-day
Hipposiderids which have a similar flight habit. Many of the limb
bones are in articulation; notice the intact foot. The skull is remarkably
well preserved, with all its teeth intact. This bat probably was overcome
by toxic gases from the lake while in low-level pursuit of flying
insects. Due to this fragility of the oil shale, this specimen, like
all from the locality, has been embedded in resin to allow preparation.
The fossil is then flipped over and the matrix removed on the opposite
side. A final coating of resin serves to preserve the specimen as
seen here. This fine example is offered at a price far lower than
one might expect to pay for such a rare specimen.